Reporting on Russia's invasion of Ukraine (podcast)
In a new-look Shephard Defence Podcast, the news team discusses the rapidly-evolving situation in Ukraine and latest developments following Russia's unprovoked invasion.
Forewarned is forearmed: Poland fast-tracks procurement and surges defence spending
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has justified pre-existing Polish plans to more than double the size of the army. (Photo: Polish MND)
Long-standing concerns over potential Russian aggression meant that Poland was already positioned to react to the invasion of Ukraine by raising defence spending and procuring new equipment.
Polish military planners and politicians have long been concerned about potential Russian aggression, and plans were already in place to expand the size of its armed forces before the invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February — but events in that country have prompted Warsaw to move even faster with various defence procurement programmes.
On 5 March, the lower house of parliament approved a new law to spend 3% of Polish GDP on defence from 2023, marking a sharp increase on the 2022 figure of 2.2%.
Under the Homeland Defence Act, the Polish Land Forces will expand from about 110,000
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